Earth Element

Earth Element Introduction

The Earth element is represented
by the capacity to link, nurture, foster and maintain. This element confers
a sense of fidelity, duty and dependability. Earth element people can
be relied and depended upon to be there when required. People influenced
by Earth display tendencies of carefulness and caution in their desires
and methods.

People that are influenced
by the Earth element are sensuous and will enjoy a sumptuous meal and
a good bottle of wine more that any other element type.

Earth element people are
logical and are generally appreciated. At times they can be somewhat selfish
when focussing their own personal objectives. They can be more fixed upon
the end rather than the means. Earthers also display prodigious powers
of recovery.

Earth Element - Common Associations

The following are often
associated with the Earth element; The colour yellow, adulthood, centre,
ground, ripening, Mother Earth, taste, late summer, gathering, harvest,
balance, nutrition, harmony, late afternoon, mediation of energies, consumption,
digestion of food of the body and the mind, Saturn, late afternoon, binding
together, humidity, steadiness, change.

Body Parts Associated with Earth Element

The spleen is the Yin acting
like the store manager ensuring that body maintains sufficient necessary
resources. The spleen supplies the nourishment we need to sustain our
bodies. The primary function of the spleen is to convert our food in to
Ki and to transmit nutrients to the body's vital organs.

A healthy functioning spleen
ensures a good memory and an ability to reason clearly. A weak or damaged
spleen can manifest itself by muddled thinking and lack of clarity of
thought. Physically a weakened spleen can mean poor digestion, inordinate
menstrual bleeding, and fluid retention.

The stomach is the Yang
partner for the spleen. It is the stomach's job to gather enough resources
for the body to function. It is not the stomach's job to store these resources.
The stomach controls the rate of food ingestion. This also includes the
mental food that we need to thrive. The Ki of the stomach reaches
right down into the large intestine to dispose of waste however this process
can reverse causing hiccups and / or nausea.

The Earth element also
rules large muscles, the mouth and lips, and eyelids. It also rules lymphatic
fluids and saliva.

The Earth Element Personality
Type

Earth element personality
types are very good at bringing people together. They act like a glue
amongst people as they tend to be very likeable. Earth people are natural
peacemakers and use their charm and disarming smiles to diffuse difficult
situations.

Compassion and care are
hallmarks of the earth types. They aim to bring calmness and harmony to
people and situations that need them. They have numerous friends that
are trusting of them largely because the help people to get in touch with
their inner issues. Earth element people need to balance this quality
lest they are seen as interfering and too intrusive. If this happens Earth
people may begin to question their own worth possibly leading to a sense
that they are running their lives for the good of others.

If this happens the accompanying
emotions of unhappiness can lead to pointless worry and feelings of lack
of worth. This can lead to eating disorders such as overeating followed
by excessive dieting or indulgence in fad diets. Female earth types are
particularly prone to this.

Earth element types can
be important in bringing calm and harmony to our chaotic world but they
must always remember to look after their own requirements as well as those
of others.

Health Issues for Earth
Element Types

Looking again at the Control
Cycle when the Earth element becomes dominant it will invade the Water
element. This will lead to the spleen restricting the workings of
the kidneys. This physical manifestation can lead to fluid retention.
It can affect the personality of the Earth type to become too interfering
in other people's business.

The invaded Water element
may no longer be able to support the Wood element
thereby inhibiting spontaneity and the taking of risk. This will result
in a stagnation of Ki. Hypertension can increase as the heart must
work harder to circulate the body's blood supply through the stagnation.
Ultimately this may lead to an enlargement of the heart. From an emotional
viewpoint this can lead to the Earth element type to a blurring of boundaries
and trying to bring everyone into the family for nurturing.

Earth Element - Visualisation
Exercises

Visualise taking a stroll
in the rural countryside in the late summer during the harvest. Observe
the workers in the field tending to their crops. Notice the calm, yet
determined, way they bring in the harvest. There is a serenity to their
labours and no sign of the frenetic energy of the fire element. It is
a stable productive approach.

Attend any harvest festival.
Notice that the overarching concept of the celebrations is a 'thank you'
to the Earth for providing it's bounty to sustain communities through
the harder times approaching.

Try some gardening - yours
or a friend's. Feel the earthy quality of working with soil. Visualise
how the various gardening activities are like our own physical and mental
processes. Feel how grounded you are when in touch with the Earth.

Earth Element Conclusion

The Earth element's power
resides in the ability to engender links with others and to nurture them.
This strength can become destructive if they do not do enough inner nurturing
and thereby expending all of their energy on others.